Lead Me Not Into Temptation
by Felicia Zezili
Summary: Chap 2!!! After the X-files have closed (yet again), Monica Reyes returns to New Orleans. After a month she gives into temptation and unknowingly intercepts something deadly (not what you think). To make matter worse, John comes down to New Orleans.
1. She Only Smokes When She Drinks

**Title:** Lead Me Not Into Temptation

**Author: **Felicia Zezili

**Rating:** PG-13  (Violence and Sexual innuendo, language and some supernatural crap) 

**Category: **Angst/ Drama/ DRR/ and a little Reyes/other

Summary: After one night of giving into temptation, Monica is thrown into the middle of a game of cat and mouse and is in danger of losing her own identity. 

Disclaimer: I don't own them. I'm not making money from this. Sweet, simple and too the point. 

**Author's Notes: **Not only is this my first DRR, this is my first X-files fan fiction. So, the characters might be a little OOC since I've never worked with them before. I'm sorry in advance. Also the summary really doesn't do the story justice but I really couldn't think of anything else. 

**Feedback:** Oh, God, Yes! It's the best kinda drug and I'm a junkie. I even find that when I don't any, I experience the same kind of withdraw side effects: Depression, sleeplessness, anxiety and…sweating for some reason. 

**Chapter 1 – She Only Smokes When She Drinks **

Monica Reyes pressed the thumb and forefinger of her left hand against her temples and began making slow circular motions in an attempt to banish the building pressure that was forming just behind her eyes. She sighed as she brought her hand away from her face. Who knew that dating could be physically painful? She pushed back a stray lock of her mahogany colored hair and looked across the table at her dinner companion for the evening. She had only been half listening to the man as he rambled on and on about the exciting existence of working in an accounting firm. 

Monica looked down at the salad sitting on the white clothed table in front of her. She began to lightly pick at the crisp green lettuce and splices of carrots with her salad fork, watching as the Italian dressing she had poured over top the salad seeped slowly from the top to the porcelain dish that held it. She had nothing against this man personally. He was just one in the parade of eligible men that she had been presented with by her so-called "friends" who set up one blind date after another for her. 

She had gone on so many of these dates that it had come to a point where she could tell whether or not anything would happen between her and this man. They weren't even past the salad yet and already Monica knew that there was no chemistry between them. Apparently he was figuring that out too. He pushed his seat back and stood up from the table. "Perhaps we should call it a night?" 

Monica looked up from her salad, thoroughly embarrassed. "Peter, I'm sorry I wasn't listening. I just have a lot on my mind. Please sit back down." 

He forced a polite smile and shook his head. "No need for apology, Monica. I completely understand." He reached into his back pocket, pulled out his wallet and took out some money for the bill. "Can I give you a ride back to your apartment?" 

"No. I can take a cab." She said as she began poking at her salad again. Why bother adding to the awkwardness? And besides, she hadn't spent more then an hour to get ready in her best dress just to go home so early in the evening. 

Peter placed some money on the table to cover his portion of the meal, then left the restaurant. Monica dropped her fork into the salad, pushed the plate away from her and propped one elbow up on the table and then leaned her head against her hand. It had only been a little more then a month since she had been transferred back to the New Orleans FBI field office after the X-files had been closed—again. This time it was promised to be a permit thing. She would admit that she was suffering from a slight depression because of it. If there was one thing he hated about her job it was the constant up rooting that she went through. Sure cases caused her to travel to different parts of the country frequently but still she at least had a place to call home. She hated that just when she was beginning to feel comfortable with a place that she was required to pack all that up and move to some unfamiliar place. Well, New Orleans wasn't exactly unfamiliar territory to her. She had been working here when she got the call from John to help out with a missing person case. 

It wasn't just the moving though. There were other factors to her depression. Working on the X-files was a dream job to her. She couldn't but feel a slight unwanted twinge of guilt for it's closing. Mulder and Scully had put their blood and sweat into that office and risked their own lives on a number of occasions, fighting this unseen enemy that would have preferred if their activities remained covert. It was irrational she felt some sort of responsibility for it's closing but it was still there. She couldn't help but think they could have dig deeper for the truth. Fought harder to keep the office open but everything had happened so fast. The higher powers that be swooped in quickly and mercilessly to shut them down.  

Then there was her partner during those years in that basement office, John Doggett. A small smile formed on her lips as thoughts of him rose in her mind. She had always been drawn to him. At first she had thought that it was just a need to turn him into a believer and she attacked that task tenaciously. But after a while she had come to realize that there was more to it then that. John was a man of convictions. He was dependable and reliable and deserved so much more then what fate had dealt him.  She wouldn't deny that she had feelings beyond friendship towards him but it seemed inappropriate to act on them at the time. He had his own issues to deal with and just wasn't ready for the emotional burden of a romantic relationship. She had decided to let things progress on their own and see where it led them. It looked very promising around the end but then her transfer came and she hadn't talked to him since. 

Monica downed the rest of her wine wanting to banish the depressing thoughts from her mind. "You should really watch yourself with that." A voice behind her said. The voice came out of nowhere and made her lurch forward in her chair, causing the wine to slide down the wrong pipe. She went into a fit of coughing and reached for one of the smaller glasses of water, taking a few slow sips. 

She cleared her throat and turned in her chair too look who was behind her with the full intent of telling the person off but when she turned and got a look at the individual, the idea left her mind. The voice had come from a man that had come to stand behind her. He was tall, which was good for her considering her own height, with slicked back black hair. His skin had a tan tone to it and his dark eyes burned with intensity. He smiled down at her and for a fleeting moment looked incredibly handsome. "I'm sorry if I scared you." He apologized.

Monica blinked trying wake up her wits that had suddenly gone numb. "Um…No that's alright. You're right I shouldn't be drinking like this—I don't usually." She added quickly. "I'm not a big drinker but I thought tonight I could make an exception." 

"Why the sudden change?" 

Monica shrugged, "It just hasn't been my day…well, more like month actually." The conversation was interrupted as the waiter came to the table and placed down two dishes of crawfish étouffée, one before Monica and the other in the place Peter had occupied. Monica looked down at the meal for a moment, then back to the man standing behind her. "Are you here with someone?" 

"No. I'm alone. I was having a drink at the bar." 

"Well, if you are interested, I have two orders of étouffée and I only plan on eating one. It seems wrong to waste it when there are so many starving people in this world." She glanced around the room to make sure there weren't any ease droppers. She leaned in closer to him and added in a hushed tone, "Also, I don't want it to look like my date left me right in the middle of dinner." 

He grinned down at her and once again Monica found that numbness enter her mind. "Since you put it that way how can I say no?" He walked around to the other side of the table, taking the empty seat. "You're a helluva saleswoman, Miss…"  

"Monica Reyes." She held her hand out across the table. 

"Monica. That's a pretty name." He said accepting her hand. "I'm Nick Aldon." 

The night went by much easier from that point on. They ate their meal and became more acquainted with each other, though the conversation seemed to be centered mostly on Monica. Nick gave out very vague details about himself and his life but Monica didn't pry. She had just met the guy, she didn't need to know his life story. What was puzzling her more was, why she was willing to tell him so much about herself. He just seemed to have that type of personality that made people that he encountered want to open up to him…or it could have been the three glasses of wine she that loosened her lips. Either way she wanted to talk to someone. Needed to talk to someone. She needed to reach out and make a connection with another soul. She had this sense of personal isolation since leaving D.C and that mixed with the depression was starting to get the better of her. 

"So…" She went on with her narrative of her life up to this point. She pulled out a pack of cigarettes she kept in her purse and shook out one. She had told herself that she would quite this bad habit but bad habits die hard. Besides she had cut down considerably. She only smoked when she drank and she rarely drank. "I graduated from Brown University and for a while I didn't know what I wanted to do with myself. There isn't much one can do with a masters in Folklore and Mythology. I considered a career in academics for a while but some how I become interested in the FBI…much to my parents dismay." 

Nick took a sip of his wine and leaned back in the chair, "They didn't approve?" 

She held the cigarette up to her lips and light it, taking a long drag, then pulling the cancer stick away from her mouth and slowly blew out a stream of smoke. "My father had a modicum of support for my decision. He was smart enough to know once I have my mind set on something it's near impossible to sway me. My mother however, went on this whole lecture about how it's a man's job." She shrugged her shoulders lazily and tapped the end of the against the side of the ashtray on the table. "It didn't really matter what she said though because I enrolled at Quantico anyway." 

"What was you're first assignment?" 

"Investigating claims of satanic ritual abuse. None of the claims were ever proved but I saw some weird things." She inhaled from the cigarette again and blew out the smoke. "I've seen shit that would turn Ernie Hudson white." 

Nick chuckled slightly and reached over across the grasped her wine glass, picking it up and pulling it over to his side of the table. "I think you've had enough." 

She grinned at him and nodded, "You're probably right. I should be heading home now." She stubbed out the cigarette and stood up. 

He followed in suite. "I'll see you home." 

"No, you really, you don't have to." 

"Please, I insist." He suddenly reached out and took hold of her hand. 

Less then 20 minutes later the two of them were standing at the front door of Monica's home with the taxi that had brought them waiting for Nick to return. Monica looked into his eyes. There was something alluring about his gaze. "Thank you…" She started out slowly. Not sure as what to say at this point. None of her dates had ever lasted long enough to get to this point. "I actually had a good time." 

He lifted his hand, brushed back a strand of her dark hair and  then rested the palm of his hand against her cheek, the pad of his thumb brushing against the corner of her mouth. "I'm glad." He said softly. He leaned over and kissed her other cheek. Monica's eyes closed briefly as he whispered into her ear, "You're a very special person, Monica." She knew it was a line and she was too smart to fall for it but she couldn't stop herself  from turning her head slightly and capturing his lips with hers. 

The kiss started out gradually but then began to deepen. His arms snaked around her waist and pulled her closer to him. A unwelcome feeling of guilt entered her thoughts though the sweet bliss that she was feeling. What was she doing? She wasn't the type of woman who hooked up with a man she just met. She didn't feel for him this way. She opened her mouth under his and felt a shiver run through her. She knew she had to stop this before it got to far. She needed to break this spell she was under. She couldn't let herself get lost in his arms. She had to pull away from his kiss and look him in the eye and tell him no. His lips moved from her lips to the side of her neck. Of course when she told him no and he left, all the depression and loneliness would return and she was too tired to deal with that tonight. She deserved a least one night oh realease. He moved back up to her ear and caught the tender earlobe gently between his teeth before she head his voice in her ear, "Do you accept me?" 

Her brow creased in confusion. "What?" 

He spoke again, his voice a husky whisper, "Do you accept me?" 

Monica barley got the "Yes" past her lips before he covered her mouth with his and kissed her deeply, without reserve. The power of it was so strong that it made her head spin and her brief felt like it was sucked right from her lungs and something else was being replaced. 

After a few moments, she finally pulled back from his kiss and looked at him in the dark of the night. Why was she making excuses any way? She had no obligations to anyone. For an instant the thought of John popped into her head but she shook her head slightly. John wasn't here. A girl's got to do, what a girl's got to do. She had to start getting over John and this man could help her even if it was only one night. 

The black night sky was fading to navy as the sun began to rise as Nick let himself out of Monica's home. He didn't want anyone finding him here. He had done his job. Grant it, it may not have been the best idea to unknowingly leave such a hefty responsibility on Monica's shoulders. But they wouldn't think to look for it here and if they did, she was an FBI agent and completely capable of defending herself and Annie would come along anytime now and watch out for her. Yes this was the best way to go about it. 

He continued to walk down the street for hours and by the time the sun had completely risen into the clear blue sky, he was walking along a long stretch of highway, outside the city limits. The highway was pretty mush deserted at this early hour. When he heard a car engine behind him, he instinctually turned around. A chill ran through him and the muscles in his body tensed up as he recognized the vehicle. He didn't make any move to run. He knew that this would be his fate when he had first agreed to do this task. It was best to face it now. 

The car pulled up to the road beside him and the window of the shot gun seat rolled down. A woman of middle age with short blonde hair and ice blue eyes stared at him. "Hello Nick." She said, her voice mock pleasance. 

He forced a smiled his voice tone mimicked hers, "Hello Veronica." 

"You know why we are here. Aren't you going to run?" 

He looked out ahead at the endless stretch of highway ahead of him and then turned back to the woman in the car. "I'm tired of running." The woman nodded and the back door to the car opened. He climbed in. 

To be continued…


	2. About Last Night

Chapter 2 – About Last Night 

The digital clock/radio on Monica's nightstand let out an incessant whining buzz that cut through the thick fog of sleep that filled her mind. She let out a frustrated groan and tried to bury her head deeper into the pillow while reaching out blindly to deactivate the alarm. The tips of her fingers hit the edge of the small box and knock it to the ground but instead of turning off the alarm, the radio surged to life and belted out the loud Cajun music of Danny Collett and the Louisiana Swamp Cats. She bolted upright in the bed and leaned down to grasp the small gadget and then yanked it hard to pull the plug from the socket. 

When the silence filled the room again, Monica let out a deep breath, then fell back against the pillow. Her head was pounding like a jack hammer on an anvil and her stomach was rebelling against the alcohol that she has consumed the night before. Monica supposed it was the price that she would be paying for the sins she committed last night. She draped her arm over her eyes and chuckled slightly. Monica Reyes, special Agent for the FBI, had gotten drunk last night. Not drunk enough that she couldn't remember what happened but drunk enough to cloud her judgment. She had allowed a complete stranger that she picked up at the restaurant to take her home and ravish her in her own bed. Oh, yes she had really come a long way since college. 

She let her arm drop to her side and stared up at the ceiling, wondering if her romantic interlude with a man she barely knew was worth it. She wasn't exactly sure how she was suppose to feel now that it was over. Vindicated? Liberated? She had no idea. All that she felt was the yawning emptiness inside her. Sure she had one night of release but now it was over and everything that she had felt before was coming back with vengeance. And god only knew what other type of consequences could arise in the near future. It just occurred to her that they had not taken the time to use any kind of protection. Another lapse of judgment. 

Monica threw back the covers and swung her feet over the edge of the bed. She was glad that she didn't have to go to work this morning. Thank God for the weekends. She doubted she could force her body to move any faster then normal pace and that alone was an effort. Never again. She told herself as she shuffled to the bathroom and turned the shower on full blast. Never again would she allow her so called "friends" to talk her into anymore of these horrible blind dates. She striped down and stepped into the showing, letting the hot water sooth her aching muscles. Never again would she allow herself to fall so deep into self pity that she lost all her self respect and took whatever the first guy who approached her offered. 

She had been quite content with her life so far. She had a job that she enjoyed going to. She had her independence. If anything, a relationship would just complicate everything and with all that had happened the past year in Washington DC she needed a break. So, She repeated these phrases over and over to herself in her head like a mantra as she turned off the water to the shower and stepped out, toweling herself off. 

Belting on her bath robe, Monica padded back to her room and grabbed her hair brush on top of the dresser. As she began to plow the brush through the damp strands of her hair,  a way of dizziness came over her. Monica squeezed her eyes shut and braced one hand against the dresser, willing the feeling to pass. Then her stomach lurched and she rushed into the bathroom just in time to be sick. 

After she had coughed up the contents of her stomach into the toilet, Monica leaned back against the old fashioned claw footed bath tub and took several deep breaths. This was defiantly not one of her finer moments. Oddly enough as Monica sat there on the cold tiled floor of her bathroom, wiping the corners of her mouth with her thumb, thoughts of John began to run through her head. She thought of all the things that she had wished she had, had the courage to say a long time ago instead she had let her own foolish pride get in the was and no she sat there wishing that he was here to offer her comfort and compassion. The one night with Nick had pushed away her needs last night but who was going to hold her tonight when she was feeling lonely?

She was probably only imagining it but Monica could have sworn that she could hear a woman's mocking laughter. Disgusted with herself for sounding his pitiful, she pushed herself to her feet with a new found burst of energy. She moved over to the sink and began brushing her teeth. Again she heard the sounds of laughter. Monica's brow furrowed and she quickly turned off the running water and strained to hear the noises in the apartment. She shook her head after a few moments without hearing anything out of the ordinary. Maybe it had finally happened. She was loosing her mind. 

Monica looked up and glanced into the mirror above the sink. Her heart felt it would jump from her chest and a sound of shock tore from her throat as she moved from the sink, pressing her back against the bathroom door. For a split second Monica could have sworn that she saw someone else's reflection in the mirror. It had been another woman with emerald green eyes and ebony hair. But then in a blink of an eye she was gone and only Monica's reflection was left. 

Monica quickly rinsed out her mouth and then moved out to the living room, on alert incase she hadn't been hallucinating and someone was in her apartment without her knowledge. She jumped as the shrill ring from the telephone on the table beside the couch cut through the silence. She quickly snatched the receiver from it's cradle and after a few breaths to slow her racing heart beat, held the phone to her ear. "Hello?" 

"What are you screaming about up there?" Monica let out sigh of relief. It was her downstairs neighbor, Judith Pennington. 

"I'm sorry, Judy. I just…." She trailed off having no idea how she was going to explain it. So instead she said, "I didn't wake you did I?" 

There was a pause on the other end of the line. "Wake me? Monica, it's nearly time for lunch." Monica looked over to the clock on her wall. "So, I'm assuming the date last night went well?" 

Monica had to think for a moment before responding, "Yes and no." 

"What is that suppose to mean?" 

"It means that my date left me before the salad was finished but I was able to pick up a replacement before the main course arrived." 

Monica could practically hear the smile on her friend's face. "I want you to tell me everything that happened and don't leave out any details no matter how minute or vulgar." She took a breath and was about to say something when Judith cut her off. "Wait! I'll be right up. See you in a few seconds, slut." 

Before She could form any words, Judith hung up the phone.  Monica could hear the faint sound of a door slamming shut and then someone hurriedly coming up the stairs outsider her apartment door. She placed the phone receiver back in it's cradle and walked over to her front door, opening it just as Judith made it up the last few stairs. 

Without even a hello or any exchange of pleasantries, Monica moved away from the door and took a seat on her couch in the middle of the living room. Judith entered the apartment, closing the door behind her. "So…" She drawled as she walked across the room and sat in and overstuffed arm chair to Monica's right. "What happened?" 

Monica rubbed her eyes with her thumb and forefinger. She really didn't feel like relating the tale of last night adventures just yet. Not until she could sort things out in her mind and try to figure out just what hell she had been thinking of when she fell into bed with a complete stranger. But Judith was persistent in her quest to obtain details of the events that took place last night and soon Monica found herself relating the story to her friend in vivid detail. A plus side to doing so was it took her mind off all the craziness that had happened only minutes before. 

Judith didn't comment until Monica was done talking. Then still she didn't speak for a few minutes until a mischievous grin appeared across her lips. "I'm impressed, Monica. You managed to turn a what started out as a disastrous evening into something quite the opposite. Any chance of a second date?" 

"I doubt it. When I woke up this morning he had already left. I guess he wanted to avoid an awkward morning. It doesn't matter though." She said dismissively. "It was a one time thing." 

"Oh, so this isn't the beginning of a cycle of torrid one-night stands for you?" 

"Afraid not. I'm just going to take my one night of—" 

"Wild monkey sex." Judith interjected suddenly. 

Monica couldn't help but smile slightly. She was more amused then annoyed by Judith's choice of words and just continue as though nothing were amiss. "…and log it away in my sex diary." 

"Fine." Judith said with a shrug. "By the way, I know this really cute guy you'd just—" 

"Not a chance, Judith." Monica cut in with a tone that left no room for protest. "I'm not letting you or anyone else ever talk me into going on anymore dates." 

Judith just sat there for a moment then a thought struck her. "Ohhh…you're still hung up on that guy back in D.C aren't you. What was his name again?" 

"John?" 

"Yeah! John Doggett." 

"I'm not still hung up on John." Monica replied a little too quickly and a little too defensively. 

"Uh huh." Judith replied. The sarcasm in her tone did not go by unnoticed by Monica. "Look, I'm really in no mood to argue with you on the matter. How about I take you out for lunch?" 

"You're going to buy me lunch?" 

"Is it that hard to believe?" Judith asked with a expression of mocked hurt on her face. "Just go get dressed." 

Monica just remembered that she was still wearing only her bathrobe and hair was half combed out and damp. "I'll be back in a few minutes." She said as she pushed herself off the sofa and hurried back into the bedroom. 

"Take your time." Judith murmured as she too stood the overstuffed chair she had been occupying and stretched. She glanced around the room lazily when her sights caught on a small leather bound book peeking out of the top of Monica's overturned purse that had been haphazardly tossed onto the nearest surface while Monica and her dated has made their way to the bedroom. Judith's curiosity got the better of her and she strolled over to where it sat. 

She picked up the small book and flipped through it finding that it was Monica's address book. As she flipped randomly through the pages an idea struck her. She looked behind her to the door that Monica had disappeared into. Then turning back she quickly turned to the "D" section of the book and ran her finger down the list of names till She came to "Doggett, John". Judith set the book down and quickly looked around for a piece of paper and a pen to write the phone number down. She would even had just settled for a pen to write the number on the palm of her hand but she had not such luck. 

"What are you doing?" Monica's voice sounded behind her. In one quick motion, Judith tore the page that had John's number from the small book, closed the book, shoved it back into the purse and turned around to face Monica, her arms crossed over her chest and the small piece of paper crumbled up tightly in her fist. 

"Ready to go?" Judith asked, trying for a casual attitude she didn't feel. 

Monica eyed her suspiciously. "Yeah. I'm ready." She approached Judith and reached around behind her to grab her purse, taking out her wallet and taking a quick peek inside.

"Don't worry I didn't steal any money from you." Judith said honestly. 

Monica put her wallet back into her purse and then moved toward the door. "Let's get going. I need some coffee." 


End file.
